Never Gone
by EmmaSutton
Summary: AU On Halloween, two of the Order of the Pheonix's most beloved members disappeared, leaving behind a son with an unusual scar. Fourteen years later, Lily and James Potter return, and shatter everything the wizarding world thought they knew. Canon ships.
1. Prologue: Mistakes Made

Prologue: Mistakes Made

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermoine Granger sat in the living room of the Burrow, watching as a storm brewed outside the window. For most of the summer, England had been blanketed in an endless torrent of rain. Thick silver sheets poured down from the sky, turning yards into mud, and boiling purple clouds plunged much of the country into an eternal night.

Today, as fat drops pounded against the ramshackle home, white streaks of lightning punctuated the darkness and highlighted the faint mist that circled the Burrow. After weeks of being housebound by the weather, and the mounting tension caused by Lord Voldemort's return, Harry, Hermoine and the resident Weasleys were beginning to get restless.

"So," began Harry, "I'd say quidditch is out of the question."

"How about a game of chess?" suggested Ron half-heartedly, the boy had easily beaten every occupant of the house at least a dozen times since the summer's start.

"Or," Began Hermoine with a bit more enthusiasm, "We could work on our summer homework." Hermoine was interrupted by the two boys as they groaned.

"I will do anything but that." announced Ron.

Mrs. Weasley, carrying an armload of laundry, passed through the living room. "If your just going to sit around all day Ronald I have some errands in the village that need doing. List is in the kitchen. Umbrella's are next to the door."

The three Gryffindors grimaced as they contemplated braving the outdoors, and slowly began the search for rain boots and cloaks.

***

On the outskirts of a small town, not far from the burrow, two shadowy figures appeared in the mist. The first one, smaller, and quite obviously female, held a squirming toddler in her arms, while the other, most likely a husband held out a map.

"Okay," he stated, "from here we can apparate to Hogsmeade, Do you think Charlotte can handle it?"

"She's be fine." Replied the woman, "As long as this is the last apparition."

Then, as quickly as they had come, they disappeared into the shadowy afternoon.

***

Less than an hour later, as Harry and his friends ran errands in the village, Dumbledore welcomed two of his past students into his office. His eyes twinkled as he surveyed them and there sleeping child over his half moon glasses.

"Lily, James," smiled Dumbledore, "How good it is to see you again. Welcome back to the world of the living."

***

14 years earlier

Lily Potter applied a coat of red lipgloss, before pulling a black wool jacket over a grey satin dress. She surveyed her altered appearance in a mirror. Dark brown ringlets fell softly around her face, and her usually green eyes had been dulled to a deep hazel color. Her face was rounder and her nose more prominent than she was used to, but it was a small price to pray for a night out.

For six months, Lily and her husband James had rarely left the confines of their Godric's Hollow home. As frustrating as these months had been, Lily knew they had made the right choice in going into hiding to protect their son Harry.

It had been their friends Lindsey and Richard Carter who had convinced them to take a night away. The two had agreed to watch Harry, and change their appearances to mimic Lily and James. To anyone who could enter the Potter home, it would appear that Lily and James were there, while the real Potter's used fake faces to enjoy a romantic meal.

"Ready to go, Vanessa?" He said as she entered the room with a sigh.

"Just nervous I guess," She replied, "Are you completely sure about this."

"I am never completely sure about anything."

After the insistence of their friends, Lily and James had enjoyed their night in London, and apparated back to Godric's Hollow shortly after midnight. The village was unearthly calm, and Lily shivered as they walked down the lane that led to their house.

"Oh God." James moaned as the house came into view. The entire top floor and much of the one below it, had been blasted apart. Bricks and wood littered the ground. From where they were standing, Lily and James could see into the kitchen at the back of the house.

"There's not Mark." Lily whispered. She felt frozen, her eyes saw the scene in front of her, but she could barely register the level of devastation. Her breath came to her in gasps. "Where are they?"

Next to her James was shaking, his normally steady handy trembling violently. Unable to speak he simply pointed at an area just past where the front door should have been. A leg, bent at an awkward angle, was visible from behind the debris.

The couple rushed over to Richard, who's face, still resembling James', was frozen in a look of shock and fear. Lily felt her knees give out and she collapsed to the floor.

"No." she whispered, "NO! He's- James. Voldemort. This can't be happening. He said- I WANT MY BABY BOY!"

"Lily calm down, it might be okay." James began, but he too was having trouble breathing.

"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN, I WANT MY BABY BOY! I WANT HARRY!"

The couple spent hours combing the rubble of their home. They found Lindsey, arms spread wide, and face charred after an hour of searching, but as the winter sun began to rise over the village, they still had not found any trace of Harry, nor any explanation as to what had happened. Lily lots all strength as the sun brought new light to the scene. She collapsed again to the ground, her body trembling as she cried for her sun. Finally, still disguised, James picked up Lily's sobbing body and apparated away

***

"I think you owe us an explanation Dumbledore." Began Lily, "Where is Harry? And how did he survive?"

"Sit down Lily and James, and I will explain everything."

For the next hour or so, Dumbledore spoke of how Peter had betrayed their location to Voldemort and had become a death eater shortly after leaving Hogwarts. He told them of how Voldemort had been defeated, and how he had risen again.

"And our son?" asked James

"He is fine," replied Dumbledore, "He has not lived quite the life your would have hoped for him, but he is happy and healthy. He is currently at the burrow, the home of the Weasley's. You remember Arthur and Molly?"

"When can we see him?" asked Lily

"Soon," replied Dumbledore, "I have contacted Molly and as soon as we receive her reply I will allow you to see him. I see young Mr. Potter has a sister."

"Her name is Kayla, Kayla Lily Evans."

"Two sisters, actually." Added James nervously, Dumbledore raised his eyebrow, and James continued, "When we first disappeared, we were unaware that Lily was a month pregnant. Our other daughter's name is Erin. She currently attends Beauxbatons, but we were hoping she could transfer here."

"I will talk to Madame Maxime." Dumbledore smiled as a school owl flew in his window, "But now, why don't you go see your son."


	2. Chapter One: Stangers in the Village

Chapter One: Strangers in the Village

14 years ago

For two weeks, after the destruction of their house and the presumed death of their one year old son, Lily and James stayed in the small London flat James where had lived directly after leaving Hogwarts. The curtains were kept drawn, and the small apartment was plunged into constant darkness. The two of them spent their days wrapped in a world of grief; James rarely slept, while Lily had fallen into a state of almost constant sleep. Neither spoke much, ate much or even had the energy to change the clothes they'd been wearing since leaving thier home.

From inside the apartment, they could hear the city below; the cars that honked during rush hour, the people who cheered and talked noisily on street corners, and the fireworks that had gone off several times since their arrival.

Outside, the magical community had spilled into Muggle London, celebrating the defeat of Lord Voldemort at the hands of Harry Potter. His face and the joyous message were splattered across every newspaper for days. Lily and James saw none of this though.

"We can't stay here," Lily stated as their third week in James' old flat began. Her voice was horse and trembling. "I need to leave. Start over."

"Where can we go?" James began, "Our house is-"

"I need to leave England. I cant be here anymore."

***

Lily took slow deep breaths as she and James briskly walked through a small town, following the directions Dumbledore had given them to get to the Burrow. Next to her, James ran his hands through his hair every few seconds, exhaling deeply as he did. Rain still fell heavily from the sky, casting an unearthly glow in combination with the damp mist that hung in the air.

"How do you think he'll react?" James asked her curiously.

Lily looked at him with worry in her eyes, "The last time I saw him he was still calling you 'Pwon'. Remember how he refused to call you Dad, and kept trying to call you Prongs like Sirius did."

James smiled weakly at Lily. Dumbledore had told them very little about Harry's life; mentioning he was happy, doing well in school and had two close friends who were his fellow Gryffindors. Lily and James knew a little of his life over the past four years from reading Daily Prophet clipping that Dumbledore had sent them over the past two months. But other than a few details about the Triwizard Tournament and Voldemort's return, they knew nothing.

"I hope in time he understands," Lily voiced both their fears, as Charlotte whimpered due to the cold. "It wasn't ideal, but growing up with Sirius can't have been too bad."

James nodded, and they fell back into walking silently, until a small, oddly shaped house came into view. It appeared as though rooms had just been haphazardly stacked onto it, one on top of the other. The sign out front indicated that this was the house where their son was currently staying.

James knocked on the front door, and a slightly portly lady with flaming red hair opened it and ushered them inside. Molly Weasley looked the Potters over with a critical eye. She pursed her lips and frowned slightly. She couldn't fathom a reason good enough for a parent to abandon their child for 14 years, let alone for both of them to leave. But Dumbledore had informed her that a perfectly acceptable reason existed and that all could be explained in due time.

"I don't know what to say. It really is you, James and Lily Potter, on my doorstep. Well come in, come in, have a cup of tea. You're soaked to the bone."

"Thank you for having us on such short notice." Lily began.

"Well its not every day the dead parents of your son's friend." replied Molly, "Harry's been like a son to Arthur and I, and it is so lovely to see that his luck may finally have stopped its disastrous downwards spiral."

Lily noticed that despite her cheerful demeanor there was a hint of suspicion in Molly's voice. The Weasley mother hen was perfectly sincere and pleasant, but Lily knew, in a way mother's only could, that the woman did not entirely trust the couple, and would need convincing before she relinquished her hold on her adopted son.

Molly placed two cups of tea, a platter of biscuits and a small pitcher of cream in front of James and Lily, then fixed a cup for herself before sitting down.

"Well," began Molly, "This disastrous weather has really put a damper on the summer. The kids have been miserable all cooped up. It's just too crowded to have them all here at the same time."

"How many children do you have?" asked Lily with a feeble smile.

"Ron and Ginny, and then the twins Fred and George are the only ones still at school and living here, plus Harry and Hermoine are here as well," Molly began, "And Bill and his new girlfriend have been dropping by freequently. And then there's also Percy who just graduated and his working at the Ministry, and Charlie lives in Wales."

"So many." James laughed, "I imagine they are quite the handful."

The three adults lapsed back into silence for several minutes.

"I don't mean to be rude," Lily said suddenly, "But may I ask where Harry is?"

Molly laughed, "Harry's in the village with Ron and Hermoine, they'll be back in a minute."

***

Harry, Ron and Hermoine exited the grocers, and turned towards the pharmacy. Harry carried two shopping bags and read over the list, while Ron and Hermoine bickered.

"What's wrong with that woman, sending us to do errands on the rainiest day of the year."

"Honestly Ron," replied Hermoine with a huff, "It's not the rainiest day of the year, every day has been like this. You shouldn't speak about your mother like that, it's not her fault you're a vacuum cleaner when it comes to food. "

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Ron angrily

"You know exactly," Hermoine began, but stopped suddenly when she saw the confused expression on Harry's face, "What's up Harry?"

"Those people look familiar." He muttered pointing across the street, where a couple walked away from them, backs to the three teenagers.

Hermoine stared; it was hard to tell, since all they could see were the couple's backs. The woman was petite though, with warm auburn hair, and the man was quite tall, with dark black hair that was completely plastered to his head, except for one bit at the back that stuck straight up. Hermoine tuned back to Harry, about to tell him that she'd never seen anyone like them before, when she noticed that Harry's hair, like the man's was completely plaster down from the rain, except for a chunk at the back. As Hermoine turned back to the couple, she realized that Harry had the same walk as the man, and a similar build.

"So what do you think Hermoine?" asked Harry, "Do you think they look familiar or am I imagining things?"

"No…" whispered Hermoine with a slight gasp

"No what?" asked Ron, "No, they're not familiar, or no, Harry's not going crazy."

"Nothing," replied Hermoine hastily, "Let's finish the shopping and get out of this miserable weather."

The boys shared a confused look, while Hermoine wondered if the impossible could happen. Could dead people come back to life?

***

Lily and James Potter sat on the love seat of the Weasley's living room, with Molly Weasley in the chair facing them. She had been quite the hostess so far, providing them with everything they could have wanted, except their son.

"I honestly don't know what's taking them so long." Sighed Molly, "You know, I might have a picture of Harry around here somewhere."

Molly began rummaging through a box of pictures, before finding one that she was looking for, and handing it to Lily and James.

Three young students were standing on the Hogwarts Lawn, in front of the lake, which was glittering in the afternoon sun. In the middle, a tall boy with flaming red hair stood, with his arms around the other two. On his left a petite girl with bushy brown hair smiled brightly, and two the red haired boy's right was a smaller boy with black hair, emerald green eyes and a lightning bolt scar.

"That's Harry, Ron, my son, and Hermoine Granger sometime last year. They're great friends the three of them, from what I hear, they're practically inseparable."

Lily smiled, "He looks so grown up, and identical to James. I sure hope he doesn't act like how James did at that age."

"Hey!" protested James

"Well when you were that age you were constantly hexing Serveus. It was so inappropriate, and childish."

Before James had time to retaliate, the front door creaked open, and shuffling feet could be heard in the hall.

"Mrs. Weasley," called a female voice, most likely that of Hermoine, "We're back."

"Ya mum," called a deeper male voice, obviously belonging to Ron, "We're survived the weather, no thanks to you."

"Honestly Ron," chided Hermoine

With a trembling hand, Lily placed the photograph on the table and looked over at James, his eyes bright and nervous. Together they stood, and followed Molly into the kitchen, where a dark haired boy with a lightning bolt scar stood dripping in the entrance, two bags of groceries at his feet.

For a long moment the three stared at each other, while Ron and Hermoine glanced back and forth between the group.

"Bloody hell." whispered Ron.

Lily barely heard him as she breathed. "Harry."


End file.
